Went to Gruhn's yesterday

[deacon Mark]

Passing through Nashville stopped to see George. Check out the guitars and particularly the Stromberg's. George was a great host I had been driving all day and got in late about 45 minutes before closed. He stayed late with me and we went through some guitars it was fun. I will post more later and going back by on the return trip. But a quick note on the Strombergs. They are very loud guitars and produce quite a punch for sure. I liked the Deluxe by far as the best. Right now I have to say the Stromberg tripped something as a real raw acoustic jazz guitar. The question is if like vintage Super 400 is a better buy? My brain says yes but blond stromberg is nothing to just ignore.

George has a nice place there and I ask him how many snakes he had around, and he keeps 25 in mix. No joke for those who are not aware of his zoology background. They don't need the strings changed but you need a steady supply of dead rats and mice and thaw them if frozen.

[Doctor Jeff]

Didja meet the shop cat?

[Woody Sound]

But a quick note on the Strombergs. They are very loud guitars and produce quite a punch for sure. I liked the Deluxe by far as the best. Right now I have to say the Stromberg tripped something as a real raw acoustic jazz guitar. The question is if like vintage Super 400 is a better buy? My brain says yes but blond stromberg is nothing to just ignore.

I would think the Stromberg might be more special to own due to its relative scarcity.

[deacon Mark]

Also, played Daquisto excel it was a fabulous guitar. Playec wonderful and open. Very different sound than the Stromberg’s. Played a Slanman copy of a Stromberg. Actually very nice guitar sounded excellent.

On the return going to stop by Carters as just down street. They have more archtops but I don’t like the business model they have. George is straight up.

[customxke]

A decade ago I had a similar experience, where-in an acoustic L5 flipped a switch in my brain, and I suddenly understood the power and appeal of straight rhythm guitar. As for Stromberg vs. Super 400s….in my opinion, a good Stromberg is at the top of the heap, but most Strombergs aren’t that good. The pressed top, ladder braced guitars are cool, but they lack the power and depth of a single diagonal braced model….and those tend to cost quite a bit. In my experience, Super 400s are all over the map, tone wise. I have a post-war blonde cutaway, that sounds amazing to my ears, as well as a pre-war small upper bout x-braced model. Both are loud and up front. Plenty of other Supers I’ve played fall into the “silent giant” category.

[garybaldy]

Passing through Nashville stopped to see George. Check out the guitars and particularly the Stromberg's. George was a great host I had been driving all day and got in late about 45 minutes before closed. He stayed late with me and we went through some guitars it was fun. I will post more later and going back by on the return trip. But a quick note on the Strombergs. They are very loud guitars and produce quite a punch for sure. I liked the Deluxe by far as the best. Right now I have to say the Stromberg tripped something as a real raw acoustic jazz guitar. The question is if like vintage Super 400 is a better buy? My brain says yes but blond stromberg is nothing to just ignore.

George has a nice place there and I ask him how many snakes he had around, and he keeps 25 in mix. No joke for those who are not aware of his zoology background. They don't need the strings changed but you need a steady supply of dead rats and mice and thaw them if frozen.

Sorry for the derailment but this reminded me of my school days in the 60s. My form tutor taught biology and bred white rats for dissection classes. They were kept in a cage across a small courtyard by the classroom. My job was to clean the cages and feed the rats with left over food which I collected from the school canteen every day.
On a regular basis, at registration, in front of us all, the teacher would place the rats by their tails in a catering sized coffee tin on his bench and using a rubber hose connected to the gas tap proceed to gas them for that day's lessons. I don't think they do that anymore in schools nowadays - well not in the UK!

[Woody Sound]

On a regular basis, at registration, in front of us all, the teacher would place the rats by their tails in a catering sized coffee tin on his bench and using a rubber hose connected to the gas tap proceed to gas them for that day's lessons. I don't think they do that anymore in schools nowadays - well not in the UK!

I can beat that one. In my HS biology class, the teacher brought in booze and gave it to half of the class. We then did physical activities to show the effect of lactic acid on muscles, coordination and fatigue, and how the two class halves compared. Ah, the good ol' days. I also remember a teacher spitting on a girl because she didn't stand for the pledge. He got in a little bit of trouble.

[garybaldy]

I can beat that one. In my HS biology class, the teacher brought in booze and gave it to half of the class. We then did physical activities to show the effect of lactic acid on muscles, coordination and fatigue, and how the two class halves compared. Ah, the good ol' days. I also remember a teacher spitting on a girl because she didn't stand for the pledge. He got in a little bit of trouble.

Great stories.

[Woody Sound]

Great stories.

And I forgot to mention that during the alcohol "experiment" one girl with a "reputation" got very flirty with the teacher. I'll never forget her her saying '"Oh Mr. Xxxx, you're raising my lactic acid too much!"

[Bob_Ross]

I also remember a teacher spitting on a girl because she didn't stand for the pledge. He got in a little bit of trouble.

I got spanked in the dick with a wooden paddleball racquet by my 4th grade teacher because I didn't do my math homework.

Let that sink in: A grown-ass man whacked an 8-year-old boy in the genitals with a wooden paddle. :::smh::: Gotta love the 1960s!

[Mick-7]

I can beat that one. In my HS biology class, the teacher brought in booze and gave it to half of the class. We then did physical activities to show the effect of lactic acid on muscles, coordination and fatigue, and how the two class halves compared. Ah, the good ol' days. I also remember a teacher spitting on a girl because she didn't stand for the pledge. He got in a little bit of trouble.

Hmm, providing alcohol to minors is illegal, that teacher should have been fired, not to mention the fact that you don't need to drink alcohol to see the effects of lactic acid build-up during exercise, so apparently he was both irresponsible and incompetent. Sounds like the academic standards at your school were unparalleled - but not in a good way.

[Marty Grass]

Hmm, providing alcohol to minors is illegal, that teacher should have been fired, not to mention the fact that you don't need to drink alcohol to see the effects of lactic acid build-up during exercise, so apparently he was both irresponsible and incompetent. Sounds like the academic standards at your school were unparalleled - but not in a good way.

Speeding is illegal, too.

I do agree that it is a bridge too far for a teacher to give alcohol to students. That should be automatic termination and police involvement. OTOH, I can't count how many times students gave other students booze. When I was a senior, the Michigan law allowed 18 year olds to buy alcohol. I had a bulky winter coat I could easily hide a 40 oz malt liquor in. In retrospect, I feel sorry for the teachers. There was no way to enforce sobriety, practically and legally. A few students threw up or otherwise were obviously impaired. They did get attention.

To the point, none of us felt like running.

[floatingpickup]

Hopefully, we are done with the teacher stories. I look forward to hearing Mark’s thoughts on the guitars he checks out on this road trip.
Keith

[Robertito]

What's the story on the business model at Carter's?

[deacon Mark]

Carter’s prices are out of line some ridiculous almost like Reverb. They gloss over things and ate not upfront about repairs and originality. Some on this forum have experienced this buying and guitar sent.

i am going in person so the burden is on me. Hopefully I know what is what and I do. They happen at the moment to have a number of archtops and a few Gibson L5’s. Just looking prices clearly inflated beyond even big dealers standards.

To me a late 1930’s L5 in good condition with no issues is not a $15k guitar at all. $8-10k depending, obviously not everyone agrees with me. Carters might laugh at reading this but I don’t care, I don’t need a guitar.

To me buying a guitar is like buying a car. You have to be able to walk away and say they have many cars for sale all over, i don’t need this particular one. Oh, they are not an investment too!

[Doctor Jeff]

George’s bespoke guitar—he handed me one to try, it was number 5. Very nice playing and sounding guitar, but a bit pricey since I didn’t really have a need for it (though has that stopped me before?). Innovative construction and piezo/sound modeling system:



George’s cat:



The really special guitars upstairs:

[deacon Mark]

Yes George had me try two different models like that of guitars he is making at the shop. Have to say they sounded good and played great but I am a traditionalist for sure and these just don't work. I do think they deserve to be used quite adaptable. I also while I am thinking about it have to say the Benedetto Cemona with the fingerboard extension really underwhelmed me, both in appearance and sound. It sounded fine certainly not a bad, was responsive but just ??? George said to his knowledge he never knew of another Benedetto guitar with fingerboard extension.

Another thing that kind of has me thinking about the Stromberg Deluxe. It has the plastic back plate on the headstock. Stromberg used plastic type overlays that in the 1940's were innovation and not thought of like we might today. The machine heads were perfectly gold plated and looked new. I could not tell based on looking if they had been changed or were replacement. George denied it but I am not convinced. It is not that he would directly lie but just that one may not know or consider it much.

Sometimes I have in years past seen George have a guitar that was refinished, and he did not directly mention this. With George you have to ask the correct questions. It could be now he always does but I go back with George to 1980. He definitely has gotten older and slower, but I know the feeling.

As a side note on this trip staying with my son who has a friend who is quite a good golfer. He was listening to me play my Hollenbeck yesterday and said he was quite impressed of my guitar playing abilities. I told him I could at least play. My son said, " my dad is like a scratch golfer on a pro course, and long tees with the guitar." Of course, we know this is completely untrue but for a moment it stroked the ego.

[wintermoon]

Yes George had me try two different models like that of guitars he is making at the shop. Have to say they sounded good and played great but I am a traditionalist for sure and these just don't work. I do think they deserve to be used quite adaptable. I also while I am thinking about it have to say the Benedetto Cemona with the fingerboard extension really underwhelmed me, both in appearance and sound. It sounded fine certainly not a bad, was responsive but just ??? George said to his knowledge he never knew of another Benedetto guitar with fingerboard extension.

Another thing that kind of has me thinking about the Stromberg Deluxe. It has the plastic back plate on the headstock. Stromberg used plastic type overlays that in the 1940's were innovation and not thought of like we might today. The machine heads were perfectly gold plated and looked new. I could not tell based on looking if they had been changed or were replacement. George denied it but I am not convinced. It is not that he would directly lie but just that one may not know or consider it much.

Sometimes I have in years past seen George have a guitar that was refinished, and he did not directly mention this. With George you have to ask the correct questions. It could be now he always does but I go back with George to 1980. He definitely has gotten older and slower, but I know the feeling.

As a side note on this trip staying with my son who has a friend who is quite a good golfer. He was listening to me play my Hollenbeck yesterday and said he was quite impressed of my guitar playing abilities. I told him I could at least play. My son said, " my dad is like a scratch golfer on a pro course, and long tees with the guitar." Of course, we know this is completely untrue but for a moment it stroked the ego.

Those Klusons are correct for that guitar, I've seen a number of period Strombergs w them. Elmer frequently used lower line tuners for some reason, though you'll also see more deluxe tuners like Grover Imperials and Kluson Sealfasts.
That guitar has been on his list a long time, likely because of the large top splint, it likely would've been long gone otherwise.

[deacon Mark]

Those Klusons are correct for that guitar, I've seen a number of period Strombergs w them. Elmer frequently used lower line tuners for some reason, though you'll also see more deluxe tuners like Grover Imperials and Kluson Sealfasts.
That guitar has been on his list a long time, likely because of the large top splint, it likely would've been long gone otherwise.

The spliced repair is perfectly done looks great. Nothing that bothers me personally much less of a problem that cracked in headstock.

[wintermoon]

The spliced repair is perfectly done looks great. Nothing that bothers me personally much less of a problem that cracked in headstock.

Well, there's an old saying in the vintage D'Angelico world, "the best sounding ones have a top crack"
Maybe it applies to Strombergs too

[AKA]

“ ……. I also while I am thinking about it have to say the Benedetto Cemona with the fingerboard extension really underwhelmed me, both in appearance and sound. It sounded fine certainly not a bad, was responsive but just ??? George said to his knowledge he never knew of another Benedetto guitar with fingerboard extension. …..”.

I am a big Benedetto fanboy, and I have to say the fingerboard extension on this instrument doesn’t work for me either.

Brings to mind something the late great Russell Malone said when I was kidding him regarding a new release with him taking a stab at singing. He said, “Well, they can’t all be great.”

AKA

[BillB]

Plenty of other Supers I’ve played fall into the “silent giant” category.

That is fascinating you say that. I had the same experience.

Some months ago I played an original 1937 Super 400 and my first thoughts were: It's not very loud, it's not cutting through, and it's kinda dull sounding." They also had an original 1930s Gibson Advanced Jumbo. Same thing. I felt my 1950 J-45 was louder and richer sounding.

I guess not all old guitars are stellar.

[customxke]

That is fascinating you say that. I had the same experience.

Some months ago I played an original 1937 Super 400 and my first thoughts were: It's not very loud, it's not cutting through, and it's kinda dull sounding." They also had an original 1930s Gibson Advanced Jumbo. Same thing. I felt my 1950 J-45 was louder and richer sounding.

I guess not all old guitars are stellar.

The problem is that people repeat these little tropes like they’re gospel. Some Super 400s are duds. Some are canons. Not every L5 is superior.

[omphalopsychos]

Loved reading this Mark. Did you try the D'Aquisto NYer at Gruhn's? Has been there for a while.